1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a securing apparatus of a speaker unit for a portable computer, and more particularly to a securing apparatus of a speaker unit for a portable computer having a configuration capable of more conveniently and simply securing the speaker unit to the portable computer.
2. Related Art
Personal computer systems in general and IBM compatible personal computer systems in particular have attained widespread use. These personal computer systems now provide computing power to many segments of today's modern society. A personal computer system can usually be defined as a desktop, floor-standing, or portable microcomputer that includes a system unit having a system processor with associated volatile and non-volatile memory, a display monitor, a keyboard, one or more floppy diskette drives, a CD-ROM (compact disc read only memory) drive, a hard disk storage device and an optional printer. One of the distinguishing characteristics of these systems is the use of a system board or motherboard to electrically connect these components together. These personal computer systems are information handling systems which are designed primarily to give independent computing power to a single user and are priced for purchase by individuals or small businesses.
Portable computers are often referred to as laptop, notebook, or subnotebook computers. A portable computer typically has a computer body, a keyboard mounted on the computer body, and a display unit hingably mounted to the computer body in such a manner that it is foldable and unfoldable with respect to the computer body. The display unit displays information input as the user manipulates the keyboard.
Recently, auxiliary devices such as CD-ROM (compact disc read only memory) drives and DVD (Digital Video Disk) drives have been incorporated in portable computers having the above mentioned configuration, in order to output, through a display unit, moving picture data and audio data as well as character data. Also, a speaker securing apparatus is also provided at a desired portion of the computer body in order to output audio data.
A conventional speaker securing apparatus incorporated in a portable computer having the above mentioned configuration typically has a speaker receiving recess formed at a desired portion of the bottom of the computer body. A speaker is received in the speaker receiving recess. The speaker is fixedly mounted to the computer body by screws while the speaker is received in position in the speaker receiving recess.
In such a conventional speaker securing apparatus, however, there is a problem in that it is very troublesome to carry out repair or replacement of the speaker because a plurality of screws are used to mount the speaker to the bottom of the computer body.
Furthermore, the coupling degree of the screws may vary depending on the skill of the worker in the process of fixing the speaker. When the screws are loose, the mounted state of the speaker is unstable. In this case, vibrations are generated at the locations of the screws by sound generated from the speaker. As a result, the bottom of the computer body vibrates, thereby causing the sound generated from the speaker to tremble. This results in a poor quality of the generated sound.
Examples of speaker securing devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,365 for Method and Apparatus for Mounting a Speaker Within a Radio issued to Kails, U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,438 for Speaker Mounting System issued to Smith et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,283 for Drop-in Speaker Mount issued to Dault et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,412 for Panel Mount Speaker Support System issued to King, Sr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,479 for Sounding Apparatus with Surface Mounting Terminals issued to Ishigaya et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,164 for Speaker Holder issued to Shen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,339 for Speaker Mounting Assembly issued to Ashcraft et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,089 for Portable Removable Attached Speaker Assembly issued to Moore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,212 for Speaker Supporting Unit issued to Iwaya, U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,690 for Speaker Grille Assembly issued to Patel, U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,966 for Speaker Mounting System issued to Skrzycki, U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,558 for device for Accomodating a Loudspeaker into a Cut-out of a Sound Panel issued to Krainhofer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,178 for Speaker Retaining Assembly issued to Inkman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,962 for Loudspeaker Unit with Means for Releasably Fastening Loudspeaker Chassis Is to its Frame issue to Thiele et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,870 for Quick Attach-detach Mechanism for Audio Components issued to Lindsay.
Although some speaker mounting systems have been developed, I have discovered that it would be desirable to further improve a speaker securing apparatus to enhance vibration control and to reduce chances of damage to the portable computer and to the speaker securing apparatus while the speaker is attached and separated from the portable computer.